Platelet-rich blood plasma is required for use in various medical procedures. This blood product is particularly effective due to its growth promoting features, which assist greatly in wound healing and bone regeneration. Presently, blood plasma with a high concentration of platelets is utilized for dental implants and other periodontal procedures, facial reconstruction, oral or maxillofacial surgery and chronic wound care. In order to obtain a required concentration of platelets, a blood sample normally must be centrifuged in order to separate the blood into its component blood products (i.e. plasma, red blood cells and platelets). The platelets, typically in a form of a white “buffy coat”, are then separated from the blood sample and sequestered in concentrated form through aspiration. Conventional aspiration techniques often fail to provide a satisfactory concentration of platelets. Cross-contamination between the constituent products is frequently encountered. We have determined that the need exists for a cost effective apparatus that facilitates the sequestration of platelets while minimizing cross-contamination between blood components.
The centrifuge tube assemblies disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,835,353 and 7,976,796 were developed to address the foregoing concerns. Those devices employ various arrangements of aspiration pipes, which are incorporated into the centrifuge tube. Although these products achieve superior results and have proven to constitute a significant improvement over the prior art, I have determined that the need exists for an even simpler, more efficient and more reliable design.
An improved centrifuge tube is needed for separating and aspirating a host of biological products, including but not limited to blood products, bodily fluids, stem cells, bone marrow aspirate, etc. for use in both medical and veterinary applications. It is important for such products to be separated and concentrated into constituent components quickly, effectively and without causing cross-contamination of those components.